Goa To Scrap Abandoned Vehicles After 8 Days: CM Sawant

Goa to scrap vehicles parked for over eight days, boost road safety efforts

In a decisive move to address growing concerns over road obstructions and vehicular clutter, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has declared that vehicles left parked in the same spot on public roads for more than eight days will be deemed abandoned and subject to scrapping. The announcement was made during the inauguration of a new traffic police cell in Fatorda.

Sawant emphasized that notices will be served to vehicle owners, and if no action is taken within the specified period, the vehicles will be seized and scrapped. Post-scrapping, the original owners will forfeit any rights to reclaim them. The initiative, he stated, is already underway in Panaji, where 250 such vehicles have been impounded—particularly on recently widened roads where the problem is most evident.

Alongside this policy, the government is also clamping down on illegal activities contributing to traffic congestion and safety hazards. This includes a crackdown on unauthorised roadside garages and private vehicles unlawfully operating as rentals. As part of this effort, 550 such vehicles have been identified and reported to the transport department, with actions including potential license cancellations.

Highlighting alarming road safety statistics, the chief minister noted that Goa records an average of one to two traffic-related deaths each day. Alarmingly, over 70% of the 365 annual fatalities involve victims who were not at fault. A significant portion of these accidents is attributed to rental vehicles, with pedestrians making up nearly half the number of casualties.

In light of Goa’s high people-to-vehicle ratio—the highest in the country—Sawant underscored the urgency of enhancing public transport infrastructure. Planned developments include expanding the Mhaji Bus network, deploying more Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) buses on interior routes, and launching connectivity to industrial zones, villages and major towns. Special emphasis will also be placed on servicing remote and underserved areas.

To combat traffic congestion at major junctions, a proposal for an elevated overbridge at Verna is also in progress. This follows a joint site inspection by the Public Works Department and traffic authorities. Additionally, smart traffic signals integrated with CCTV surveillance are set to be installed to improve enforcement of traffic rules and detect violations in real-time.